Travel is a state of mind…

Today I report back on the 3rd Annual Cosmopolitan Soiree hosted by the STEM Center’s 7th grade team. It was a long and busy day and I bet those kids will sleep well tonight. I wasn’t there quite as long as the kids, but I too am fairly tired; as such, tonight I share mostly photos and only a few thoughts.

The first thing I want to share is a big shout out to the NDSU Emergency Management Team that came to help at my request. Thank you Emmanuel Nojang, John Mueller, Anastacia Hermes, Chuck Cunningham, and Greg Kitzman. All I had to do was call you and you came and did whatever was asked of you. I always say that the folks in the emergency management program are a family and it is evidenced by the fact that you always have each others’ and my back. That kind of loyalty is never forgotten or undervalued.

Also, thanks to Jeana Scheffler who planned to be part of the NDSU team, but then had to take her grandmother to the hospital. Jeanna apologized for not being able to make it today, but in my mind she is to be applauded for taking care of her grandmother. And of course I say that from my somewhat biased perspective as a…ummmm…glamma.

The big news of the day – at least from our corner of the world (France) – is that Cheyenne and her partner Annika won first place in the water rocket competition. That is what I call serious girl power!

There were a number of ELL students at the soiree – but my favorites were Olivier Nigaba, Eliachim Bucumi, and Claude Vyamungo who came from Cheney with their teacher Brad Storm. These three young men played drums on a group of 5 gallon buckets. They drew quite a crowd.

The final thought to share is a thank you to all the staff and faculty at the STEM Center, all the parents, all the guests, and especially, all the students – together they made this event a reality. I applaud your time, effort and commitment. Between displays, food samples, music, art, and representative attire you took folks around the globe.

Travel is a state of mind and the world can be a pretty small place when we realize that even in our differences, we are still so alike.

Thank you STEM Center 7th graders for giving us the world. 😉

Day one thousand and fifty-three of the new forty – obla di obla da

Ms. C

About Ms. C

I teach at NDSU...but I remain a student of life with all the enthusiasm that entails. My favorite saying is, "Sometimes you have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down." In the new forty that is what I am doing...building my wings.